At a rest stop they set a trap for the Trickster, but Sampala feels
kind of weird when Dean puts things in his trunk. Dean calls out for
the Trickster and he shows up. Dean orders him to turn Sam back into a
person before they agree to let Lucifer and Michael take them over. He
does, but the boys have a trick up their sleeves. Sam throws a lighter
on the ground and a ring of fire forms around the Trickster.

It
turns out their theory is correct and that the Trickster isn't a
Trickster at all. He' an Angle! He tries to deny it, but the jig is
up. They go back to the warehouse with the Trickster trapped in the
holy fire circle. He reveals that he's actually Gabriel, the
archangel. He left Heaven, got a face transplant and hid out as a
Trickster in his own version of Witness Protection.

Gabriel left because he couldn't stand watching his angel brethren
fighting all the time, and now that Lucifer is free and the end is
near, he just wants all the fighting to stop, which is why he's pushing
for Sam and Dean to accept their roles and get the final battle over
with.

Then he gets personal by breaking down what's really happening. This
isn't about the end of the world, it's about two brothers who used to
love each other but now are bitter rivals. It's no coincidence that
Sam and Dean are the perfect vessels for Michael and Lucifer. Gabriel
finally explains everything that Supernatural has always been about:

"Michael [aka Dean], the big brother, loyal to an absent father."

"Lucifer [aka Sam], the little brother, rebellious of daddy's plan."

It all makes perfect sense. They aren't just roles and vessels, Sam
and Dean are these two angels, thus making John Winchester God. It's
one of those things that makes so much sense that you're sad you didn't
realize it until Gabriel literally described it all.

Gabriel says that this is the unavoidable destiny the Winchesters have
been leading up to all along. It's why Gabriel was always so
interested in them, because he knew they were the ultimate players in
the battle all along. It's why he tried to turn them against one
another in "Tall Tales" and why he tried to get Sam to stop caring
about Dean's death in "Mystery Spot."

Dean still thinks they can stop it, but Gabriel assures them that it is
what will happen. Sam and Dean will accept their roles, fight, and one
will kill the other. It's how it has to be. Man, this new archangel
Trickster is a real downer.

Gabriel brings Castiel back from wherever he was, and the three good
guys leave. But Dean is still the hero, so he pulls the fire alarm so
the sprinklers put out the circle and let Gabriel go. First, Dean
explains that this wasn't about the final battle, it was about Gabriel
being too afraid to stand up to his family.

Cas, Sam and Dean walk outside and, depressed by what they just
learned, Dean wishes their lives were just a TV show. Trust me Dean,
if your lives were a TV show, it would be very, very good.

Next week on Supernatural: Things might get a little bit lighter thanks
to Sam and Dean getting invited to a Supernatural fan convention. Then
again, we also thought the TV parody episode would be all laughs, so
nothing is certain.